Seek And Ye Shall Find
by BlondieSheep
Summary: DG runs away but even going to the Other Side won't stop Cain from looking for her. Can he convince her to come back? - DG/Cain Unfinished Story and probably will never be finished
1. Prologue

Disclaimer – I own nothing! If I did own Tin Man, Cain and DG would have kissed as the eclipse ended. So romantic, with the suns and moon parting, light spilling across the valley. Perfect kissing scene, you must agree.

Seek And Ye Shall Find  
A CDG (CainDG) Story  
By CubKitPup

**Prologue **

The local forecast had told the small Kansas town that it would be a clear day, high's in the 80s, with a small breeze to keep everyone cool. But the wind is starting to pick up and the horses in the field are getting nervous. They dig at the ground with their hooves and whiny to each other. Dark clouds are starting gather and those in town are running for cover, shouting about a freak twister.

A storm is coming.

A travel storm, to be specific.

From the furious winds, a bolt of lightning strikes the ground. Anyone watching closely enough would have seen the impossible. That from that lightning strike came a man riding a gray stallion, holding his hat to his head as he steers the terrified horse away from the tornado. While the horse is galloping as fast as his legs can move, the man looks over his shoulder, watching the winds die down and the twister dissipate. As the clouds fade from the sky, the horse slows his panicked run and eventually stops, sides heaving after the terror of the tornado. The man slaps his horse on the neck who snorts back.

Wyatt Cain's eyes find the Gale farm house. But he doesn't direct his horse there; he pulls the reigns to guide the horse toward the town.

"I will find you, princess. And I will drag your ass back to the O.Z., by force if necessary."

---

A motorcycle drives into town, its engine roaring through the quiet street. People watch and wave as the driver pulls past. The motorcycle is directed towards a small diner called Hilltop Café. After the bike is parked, the rider rushes inside, pulling off a helmet to reveal long, black hair beneath. She reaches to close the door but a sudden wind slams it shut behind her. She stares at the door and then looks to the window, watching the clouds swirl together.

A storm is coming.

A storm that is not at all natural.

By the time she steps from the dressing room, smoothing the checkered dress of her uniform, the storm has already passed. She rubs her arms, feeling goose bumps on her skin. A voice from the kitchen calls her and she hurries in, greeting her boss and coworkers.

DG Gale smiles as she hands the customers their meals. She walks back to the counter, humming softly as she goes.

"Two little princesses, dancing in a row…"

---

Author's Note:

A super short prologue but I'm pleased with how it turned out. I hope you will agree.

I have rejoined the fanfiction world! Joyous day! And Tin Man is my newest obsession; despite a few tiny flaws, I love it. And CainDG is the OTP of the world (the only thing that can come between them is Cain's love affair with his hat).

Okay, enough rambling. This story will probably have two or three more chapters after this. I can't say when they'll be out. I hope you will stay around to enjoy them.

Happy reviews will be framed and worshiped; mean ones will be burned to keep my house warm. Constructive criticism is always welcome. Thanks!


	2. Searching The Other Side

Disclaimer – I don't own anything except Karma and I made her because DG needs a friend.

Seek And Ye Shall Find  
A CDG (CainDG) Story  
By CubKitPup

**Chapter One: Searching The Other Side**

"DG? Hello, Kansas to DG! This is Karma calling! You in there?"

"Wha?" DG shook her head and forced herself to focus on her friend. "Sorry, say again."

Karma slapped the palm of her hand to her forehead. "Geeze, DG. You've been so scatterbrained since you got back. What's wrong? Do you still need some time off?"

"No," DG quickly answered. "Trust me, I need some normalcy in my life right now."

"Okay," Karma said and DG was glad she dropped the subject.

"Ladies." Cater stuck his head through the serving hole. "Less chitchat, more work, please."

"Chill, Carter, we got it under control," DG soothed her boss as she and Karma scooped up the orders and left to deliver them.

'Come on, DG,' she scolded herself. 'You left the O.Z. Stop thinking about it… about them… about _him_…' Even having run away a week ago, DG still found herself slipping back to that crazy place and wondering about her friends. Had Raw been able to return to his people? Was Glitch recovering well from his surgery? Did Cain ever miss her or was he glad she was no longer his burden? Did Cain have any idea that he was the one reason she continued to doubt her decision to leave the O.Z.?

Carter suddenly switched on the TV that hung above the counter. The weather man was raving about the out-of-control weather, the tornado came out of nowhere, and thank God it was a small, isolated twister.

She glanced out the window, at the clear skies, and remembered the storm. It had raised the hair on her neck and the tips of her fingers tingled with the familiar feeling of magic. The twister had felt like the DG's own travel storm she had made to return to this side. She knew her parents would look here for her and probably send a whole company of Tin Men to bring her back. But she had had a fool's hope that it would take them some time to notice her absence and even longer to organize a search party.

DG straightened her back and returned to work. It didn't matter who her parents sent; there was no way she would go back to that side. The princess knew of her mother's plans for her. Ruling the kingdom that DG thought she could do, with a lot of help from the numerous advisors to the Gale House. But the Queen's other plans… DG shivered at the thought. 'I won't be part of _that_,' she promised.

But there was only one problem. Despite her resolve to never return to the Outer Zone and the royal family, DG found herself missing that place that sometimes felt like a crazy dream. She missed waking early (a very rare occurrence) to see the double suns rise. She missed walking through the blooming fields of the Papay beside the once carnivorous creatures, who were surprisingly gentle. She missed swimming in the crystal clear waters of Finaqua's lakes.

Most of all, DG missed her friends. The entire week she'd been back, DG had dreamed of the O.Z. at night. She'd be running down the Old Road, the path cover by a thick fog. And she could hear her friends calling to her through the cloud. They were calling her name, begging her to come back. Glitch sounded terrified, Raw worried, and Cain… well he always seemed angry but now he sounded absolutely furious. And DG shouted back, telling them that she was here, right beside them. But they couldn't hear her. They'd leave her and DG would wake up, screaming and shivering in her bed.

'But I won't be swayed by silly dreams,' DG thought angrily and slammed down a plate of pancakes with more force than necessary. The gentleman whose food she was manhandling gave her an odd look. DG didn't apologize, just stormed off. It didn't matter what she wanted anyway. She couldn't rule the O.Z. and be with the man she loved. Hell, she couldn't have her normal life and Cain at the same time. All she was allowed was a life as a queen, ruling a land she barely knew. Not the happily ever after she'd been hoping for.

'I'll be gone soon enough. A few paychecks more and not even Mother will be able to find me.' She hoped that leaving her home town would help with her dreams and allow her to forget life in the O.Z. DG knew it was unlikely but, right now, positive thinking and false hope was all she had going for her.

"Ma'am! Excuse me! Could I get some service over here? I've been waiting like half an hour!" called an obnoxious looking guy in a suit who, DG knew for a fact, had only arrived ten minutes ago. DG forced a smile on her face and all thoughts of the Outer Zone from her head and went to serve JerkFace, as she had just decided to call him.

---

Cain let the horse set a leisurely pace down the road. On this side, there were more cars on the road than horses and Cain didn't wish to call even more attention to himself by galloping into town. He had time to spare, though all he wanted was to shake some sense into that girl. Run off without telling anyone? Had she learned nothing in her weeks of princess training? 'Oh, I will have some words for that slipper girl,' he promised.

A car drove past. Cain would not have given it another thought except for the fact that it immediately began to slow, letting horse and rider catch up. Making sure his coat hid his gun from view, he tried to look normal… as normal as a Tin Man looking for a lost princess on this Other Side could be.

The car that slid beside him was a cop car, if the briefing DG's robo-parents had given him was to be believed. The window rolled down and the officer inside, an Officer Gulch according to his name tag, looked out at him. "Hello, there."

Cain nodded. "Hello."

"You didn't ride through that storm a little while ago, did you?"

"No," Cain said. "We found shelter 'til it passed."

"I see," Officer Gulch said. The Tin Man hoped that would be the end of the conversation but the cop continued, "Where you headed?"

"Just passing through, looking for someone," Cain answered.

"Do you need help? I know nearly everyone in town."

Cain considered that and finally said, "Yeah, do you know where I can find DG Gale?"

Officer Gulch looked uncertain and he wasn't surprised. A guy on a horse, looking for a girl half his age who had been missing since the week before? He couldn't deny that it was suspicious. He could very nearly see the gears turning in the officer's head as he thought over the situation.

"And what connection do you have to DG?" he asked, eyes narrowing.

"Just an old friend."

"Uh huh," Officer Gulch said, not entirely satisfied with this answer. "Well, if you have a message, maybe I can pass it on for you."

"No, I'll find her myself," Cain answered.

The look that Officer Gulch sent him had clear meaning: I think you are nothing but trouble and I will be keeping my eye on you. Cain kept his eyes straight ahead, not really caring what this officer thought of him; all that mattered was getting DG home.

"Well, then, I guess I'll be seeing you in town then."

Cain merely nodded. The car's engine hummed as Officer Gulch pressed the accelerator harder and was soon speeding down the road toward town. 'Probably off to tell DG,' he thought. Not that it mattered. Even if she ran again, he would find her. It wouldn't be too hard to find her trail, especially if she took that noisy two-wheeled hunk of metal she used to get around. He'd find her wherever she went. She was as bright as a beacon in his mind's eye and as loud as a jail-break alarm. DG couldn't shake him off so easily.

---

DG, with her mind back in the O.Z., was startled when Karma thrust a plate with a piece of pie into her hands. "Officer Gulch wants his pie and a word with you," she called over her shoulder as she hurried off towards a table where an obnoxious trucker was waving his check around like a white flag.

Grumbling, DG walked over to Officer Gulch's table, where he was looking over his notes. "Here's your pie," DG announced as she place the pie in front of him.

"Thanks, DG," he said with a smile.

"So, Karma said you wanted to talk to me," DG cut straight to the point. "What's up? I know I was under the speed limit this morning."

Officer Gulch laughed. "No, no," he soothed. "We're not talking about your speed." He paused a moment to take a bite of his pie. After washing it down with a sip of milk, he continued, "I met a man on the road today. One who said he was looking for you. He was riding a horse. Dressed real funny too. He had this big hat and a long brown coat."

'_Cain?'_ was DG's first thought but she pushed it away. 'No way. Couldn't be. He wouldn't come after me… _would he_?' As much as DG wanted Cain to come after her (though maybe that was a few too many romantic comedies talking), he had a life to get on to. Free of the witch, the entire O.Z. could live again. She didn't want to tie Cain down. 'Please don't be coming after me,' she begged the fates.

Gulch was eyeing her. "Anyone you know?"

DG tried to look like she was deep in thought. "Maybe…"

"You aren't in any sort of trouble, are you?" he asked. "Is this guy lookin' to bother you?"

"No!" DG said quickly, taking Officer Gulch by surprise. She lowered her voice. "No, 'course not. Everything's fine."

Gulch reached out and laid his hand on hers. Now it was DG's turn to be surprised. "You know you can come to me if you ever need help, right?"

DG smiled. She mostly only saw Gulch when he was chasing her down the road or when he had a ticket in hand. But she still knew him to be a good friend. "I know, Gulch. Thanks. Now, I gotta get back to work before Carter blows a blood vessel."

Laughing, Gulch waved her away. DG hurried back to the counter, picking up the waiting orders. As she went to deliver them, her mind kept wandering back to a certain Tin Man with gray-blue eyes. 'Could he really be here, on the Other Side, looking for me?'

---

The people in town didn't seem scared or suspicious of the cowboy riding into town on a gray stallion; just curious. Cain kept his hat pulled down to hide his eyes. There was no need to exchange words with anyone; he knew where to go.

Finally, the sign announcing the Hilltop Café came into view. He directed the horse into the parking lot and slid off his back. Standing beside his steed, Cain peered through the window and saw his target. Runaway princess, DG Gale, was smiling at customers as she handed food to them. She was dressed in a blue-white checkered apron, which, Cain had to admit, looked good on her. Certainly better than any of the pink frilly dresses the Queen wished her to wear on special occasions. A coworker sharing the uniform whispered something in her ear as DG walked past, sending both girls into hysterics. DG seemed happy, which only infuriated Cain more. 'Does she even care about the trouble she caused?!' he fumed. 'The entire kingdom thinks kidnapping and she's on this side without a care in the world!'

The horse nudged his shoulder, reminding him that simply staring at the girl through the window would not bring her out to him. His first thought was to simply storm inside, grab DG, and be back at the palace by dinner but he dismissed that idea. The Queen asked him to handle this with as much subtlety as possible. 'We're going to have to do this face-to-face,' he thought.

"Stay close but stay hidden," Cain instructed told his mount. The gray stallion, one of a species bred specifically for their intelligence, bobbed his head up and down and trotted away, dodging around a family headed towards the diner. The two children reached out to pet the horse but their parents pulled them away, casting wary looks over their shoulders.

After seeing the horse step into the bushes and out of sight, he walked towards the entrance, keeping his eye on DG. Pausing at the bottom of the stairs, Cain watched as the family entered the restaurant. He saw DG greet them and show them to their table. As they began to flip through their menus, DG headed back to the counter.

It was at that moment that Wyatt Cain decided to make his entrance.

---

AN – First off, I want to thank you all so much for the reviews for the prologue. It was barely a page long and it got 15 reviews! I'm honored by the happy words!

Longer than the prologue but still shorter than most things I've written. Probably because I'm breaking up the story into very specific chapters. This one was mostly characters thinking, not too much action; then next one will have a lot more tension; the one after that will have screaming, yelling, and name-calling. I apologize if this chapter was a little dull. The next one will be much more interesting, promise.

As for why DG ran away, you'll all see soon enough. Everyone's eager to see the Cain and DG faceoff and Queen Isabella asked if sparks would fly at the diner. I have something else planned for the café which I hope will satisfy everyone. Don't worry, the shouting match isn't too far away :-)

Happy reviews will be pampered and loved; mean ones will be thrown outside to the mercy of my neighbor's dogs. Constructive criticism is always welcome. Thanks again for support, reviews, reading, and everything! I love you all!


	3. Tension To Cut

Disclaimer – If I dream about something, does that mean I own it? Seriously, I dreamed I met Zooey Deschanel at a McDonald's. I was going to ask her to sing the 'Two Little Princesses' lullaby but then she vanished. It was odd.

Seek And Ye Shall Find  
A CDG (CainDG) Story  
By CubKitPup

**Chapter Two: Tension To Cut With A Knife**

After three hours, several order mistakes, and a few people second-guessing their checks, DG had completely forgotten about Gulch's possible Cain sighting and the hair-raising storm of the morning. So when the diner's door opened to reveal Wyatt Cain, in the flesh, it was all DG could do not to scream.

As though he was scanning a den of Longcoats, Cain surveyed the entire restaurant, taking in every tiny detail. He studied every occupant on the diner, searching their faces… searching for _her_, she realized. When his eyes landed on her, DG couldn't stand it. She bolted, spinning around the counter and running into the kitchen. She knew it wasn't the world's stealthiest exit but she had to get out of there. There was no way she could stand up to Cain. She would rather face the witch again than explain herself to that Tin Man.

After taking several deep shaky breaths, she decided to risk a glance and looked through the service window. Cain was easy enough to find. He was sitting in a corner table next to the door, his back to the wall. Despite the situation, DG had to laugh. He had taken the table that allowed him a view of the entire diner. _'Ever the strategist,'_ she thought_. '…or maybe just paranoid.'_

A hand on her shoulder made DG jump five feet into the air. "Calm down, Deej!" Karma hissed. "What's with you today? You're up in the clouds one moment and as jumpy as a cat racing the tide the next."

"Karma! Please, will you take care of the man at table five?"

"Sure," Karma said without a care. "You take a breather; I'll be back." She left the kitchen and DG peeked out again.

Karma reached Cain's table, offering him a menu and an exaggerated smile. He took the menu and casually flipped through it. Though she was too far to hear, DG could see Cain's lips move and look up at Karma with an expectant look. Karma slowly shook her head in answer. The Tin Man stared up at her, as if waiting for her to change her answer. When she said nothing, Cain handed back the menu and gave his order.

DG slipped back behind the wall and listened to Karma's footsteps. Karma left the order for Carter to see and went to the coffee machine. Leaning against the wall, DG wondered if she should ask or say anything. Karma beat her to it. "That guy asked for you."

"Specifically?" DG asked innocently.

Glancing over her shoulder, Karma said, "And I quote, 'do you know where DG is hiding?'"

She couldn't help it. DG dropped her head to her hands and groaned.

"Why are you trying to avoid him?" Karma asked as she fixed the coffee. "I wouldn't run away from a man that cute."

"Karma!" DG shrieked. The room suddenly felt as hot as an oven and the princess fanned herself.

"What?" Karma asked. "He's got that rough and rugged cowboy look down perfectly."

When the image of Wyatt Cain riding a white horse to her rescue popped into her head, DG had to agree (not that she would ever admit it out loud). She laughed while Karma left to deliver Cain his coffee but that laughter subsided once alone again. She knew she couldn't hide forever and, sooner or later, Cain would catch up with her. For a moment, DG thought of ditching her uniform, hopping on her motorcycle, and leaving Cain in the dust.

But Carter put a stop to that train of thought when he barked at her, "DG! If I see you sitting on your ass one more time, you'll be on full time garbage duty till next summer! Now go get table six's order."

DG very nearly cried. She wanted to beg Carter to let her hide back here but her boss had already moved off, leaving no room for discussion. "Come on, DG," she whispered to herself. "You know you can't hide forever. Just go out there and show you're not afraid of him."

With her order pad in hand, DG stepped out from the kitchen and into Cain's line of view. His eyes were on her instantly and it was all DG could do to not crumble. She kept her gaze focused firmly on the ground as she moved across the floor. The princess managed to make it to the table without looking at him and forced a smile on her face for the customers.

Then the trouble started. The mother and father were ready with their orders but the kids couldn't make up their minds. When one ordered one item, the other wanted it as well but neither wanted to share. For a full seven minutes, the children bickered back and forth, their parents doing little to help the situation. DG had to stand there for those seven long minutes, fake smile plastered on her face, listening to the kids shout about their meals.

All the while, Cain stared at her back with the same intensity of a hawk watching a mouse. Chills ran up and down her spine. She would have preferred to be a mouse; at least then she would have a burrow to hide in. Right now, being a waitress in the Hilltop Café, there was nowhere for her to run.

The siblings finally agreed on their meals and dismissed DG. She gave a gracious nod (silently hoping that Carter over-cooked their food) and left them. But, at that precise second, her resolve broke and DG wanted, _needed_, a peek at Cain. There was no rationality to her sudden desire; just an overwhelming urge to see his face. DG met Cain's eyes and immediately regretted letting her guard down. He was angry. No, angry was an kind understatement. He was downright furious; barely holding on to his temper. She was surprised he hadn't exploded yet.

DG was torn in what to do. She wanted to run and hide, deny that he was really here. She wanted to throw herself at him, explain the situation and beg him for forgiveness. She wanted to throw items (preferably sharp ones) and yell at him, for judging her and being angry when he had no idea what was going on.

There were many ideas that came to DG's head. But none were strong enough to force her body into action. Under his gaze, she felt like she couldn't move; her limbs refused to respond. So she stood still, as mesmerized as a deer in the headlights. For several long moments, neither looked away or even blinked.

This probably could have lasted all day but the door to the diner suddenly slammed open, startling both contestants from their staring contest. They both looked to the door and DG was surprised to see Officer Gulch enter. He began to smile at her but the grin froze only half formed on his face when he saw Cain, who had his head bowed over his coffee. Gulch frowned and his hand moved unconsciously to his gun (which, DG knew for a fact, he had never used before outside the shooting range). Still, the gesture touched DG and she quickly pulled the cop away from the Tin Man. "Gulch, here for your after-shift coffee?"

He allowed DG to pull him across the diner and to a seat at the counter, as far from Cain as possible. "How long has he been here?"

"Not long," she answered, trying to sound nonchalant though her insides were twisting. "Before you ask, nothing _has_ happened and nothing is _going_ to happen so don't worry about it."

"DG-"

'If I'm not getting stared down by Cain, I'm getting Twenty Questions from Gulch!' DG screamed in her head. "Look, everything is fine. Can you just leave it alone?"

Officer Gulch looked as though he might refuse but he simply nodded though he didn't look happy about it. DG reached out and squeezed his hand gratefully before she slipped off back to work.

Though she caught him sending suspicious glares at Cain, Elmer remained in his seat. For twenty minutes, DG stayed as far from Cain's watchful eyes as possible. She took orders to the other side of the restaurant, letting Karma deliver Cain's meal of toast and eggs to him and the surrounding tables. But, at the end of twenty minutes, Karma was cleaning up the mess of a child who ate his chocolate chip waffles too fast, leaving DG to deliver the cooked meals to the family beside Cain.

DG hesitated, hoping to find another order to occupy her attention. But, with Carter breathing down her neck, she had little choice but to pick up the tray and carry it to the half of the café she had avoided like the plague. As before, Cain watched her cross the floor. This time though, DG started to shake. She didn't know why; maybe the pressure of the day was finally getting to her, she couldn't say for sure. All DG knew was that she was shaking as badly as a barn in a twister. Her knees trembled and she gripped the tray so hard her fingers hurt.

She greeted the family with a smile and handed a grilled cheese sandwich to the youngest child. She managed to slide an order of soup to the father and a burger to the mother without faltering. As DG reached for a basket of French fries, she looked over her shoulder and found herself looking into Cain's angry blue eyes.

Once again, DG became frozen; her one hand paused in midair as the other balanced the tray. Then, something changed. It was as if he had suddenly torn a mask off and was looking at her with his true face. For a moment, just a brief moment, Cain's anger faded. He looked sad, lonely. His white knuckled grip on the table eased and his eyes softened. He whispered, so softly that she could barely hear it in the chaos of the diner. But she did hear it, the single word he spoke.

"DG…"

The tray in her hands suddenly wobbled, tilting dangerously to one side. DG tore her eyes away from Cain and tried to restore the tray's balance. But it continued its path toward the floor, determined to take the plates and glasses with it.

Warm arms wrapped around her and large hands reached out to grab the unsteady tray. Though it did not fall, a mug of hot chocolate and a glass of Sprite surrendered to gravity and smashed on the tiled floor, sending liquid and shards everywhere. Of course, the sound of the shattering cups drew everyone's attention to DG and her rescuer. Silence hung over the diner as DG craned her head back to look at Wyatt Cain, who still held her hands in his own. With his chest pressed against her back, she could feel his heart pounding. He leaned down and his breath warmed her cheek.

"You okay?" he asked and DG could only answer him with a jerky nod.

"DG?" The questioning voice brought reality back to the pair. Cain jumped back from DG with the speed of a Papay runner. Gulch, with Karma beside him, sent a suspicious look in Cain's direction, who had been quick to return to his table and turn his back on the group. "Everything okay?"

"Yep yep! No problems here!" DG said in a rush. "I just slipped, that's all. Nothing wrong."

Karma, understanding DG's desire to avoid any more questions, held out her hands to her co-worker. "Deej, why don't you give me that tray and you get the mop and broom to clean this up?"

DG gave Karma a grateful nod and handed over the tray. Without looking at anyone, especially not a certain Tin Man, she headed to the broom closet.

---

Though Cain didn't actually see it, he felt DG leave. It was hard to say how he knew. It was like he had obtained a sixth sense: a DG sense.

His sense for trouble was still active which is why he wasn't surprised when Officer Gulch pulled back the empty chair from his table and took a seat. The cop stared at him while Cain focused on his breakfast. He kept his eyes down; there was no need to challenge this Other Side cop.

"That was some catch," Gulch commented.

"Just recognized trouble when I saw it," Cain answered.

"Do you have an eye for trouble… or just for DG?"

Cain said nothing; just took a long sip of cold coffee.

Gulch sighed. "Listen, I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

"Why's that?" Cain asked. It had been a long time since he had taken orders. Not since he had been a rookie in Central City. He didn't think he'd start now.

"DG still hasn't said anything about her disappearance. Not anything that makes sense, anyway." Gulch sounded disappointed by DG's evident lack of trust. But he drew himself tall in his seat. "Now I'll believe what you say about having no part in the matter if you stay away from DG. Either you leave here peacefully or you can be arrested for badgering."

Though his first instinct was to put Gulch in his place, Cain knew he wouldn't be able to bring DG back to the palace if he was spending some quality time with the cop in a jail cell. So, without saying a word, he pulled out Other Side money, laid down the proper amount, and stood from the table. As he moved to the exit, he glanced to the back room and saw DG searching through a closet. He was quick to pull his eyes away from her and focus on the door.

Once outside, Cain paused at the entrance to the restaurant. He considered staying until DG revealed herself but Gulch had left the table and now stood at the window, watching his every move. So Cain continued to walk towards the road, putting space between himself and the Hilltop Café. When Gulch seemed satisfied of the distance and left his watch at the window, Cain immediately adjusted his course to circle around the diner, wondering if there was a back door.

---

When DG returned to the restaurant dining area with broom, mop, and bucket in hand, Cain was gone. His table held a half eaten meal and enough money for check and tip. As DG stared at the empty table, stunned that Cain would give up that easily, Karma came to stand beside her. "Officer Gulch gave the cowboy a talking-to and sent him running with his tail between his legs."

DG nodded but was still silently contemplating the Tin Man's absence. As cocky and confident as Gulch may be, Cain would never see him as a threat. Which meant he left of his own free will. But why? Was he messing with her? Wanting to put her on edge? '_Well, it's working,'_ she thought as began to mop up the puddle of cocoa and Sprite. Her eyes kept darting around the diner, looking for a familiar fedora and duster, but all she could see were sweatshirts and baseball caps.

Setting aside the mop, DG kneeled on the ground with a dustpan in hand. As carefully as she could, she picked up the largest pieces of the mug and glass and tossed them into the dustpan. The truth was, it didn't matter why Cain had left; if he had a secret agenda of some kind or not. He was gone and this was her chance to run. _'That's it. I'm gone,'_ DG thought. _'After this shift, I'll hop on my bike and get the hell away from here.' _Her hands squeezed with her new resolve and DG instantly regretted the action when her right palm sent a very clear message to her head: **OW!**

Her fingers flew apart to reveal a shard of glass now embedded in her skin, its clear surface stained red with her blood. "God-Damnit!" DG hissed. The mother at the table that had been the center of her problems today looked down at her with a disapproving glare and it was only the pain in her hand that stopped DG from flipping the Finger. The glass wasn't deep but it still hurt like hell and was bleeding like fucking Niagara Falls.

Luckily, Karma was still hovering nearby, too concerned about her friend to devote her full attention to work. "Ouch," she said when she looked at DG's wound. "Today is not your day. Go get cleaned up; I'll finish with this."

"Thanks, Kay," DG said as she stood, cradling her hand to her chest. "I owe you one."

Karma laughed. "Girl, I think you owe me a million. I'll put it on your tab!"

DG managed to summon up a smile for her friend before she headed for the break room in back. When she walked through the kitchen, Carter didn't say a word to her; just shook his head and waved her away.

By some miracle, she managed to pull the First-aid kit from its hiding spot on top of a cabinet without dropping it. DG hauled it into the single employee bathroom that also doubled as the dressing room. Dropping the box onto the lid of the toilet, DG bent over the sink, inspecting her right hand. The glass had to come out.

DG exhaled a shaky breath and gently grabbed the shard with the tips of her fingers. "It's like a band aide," she coaxed aloud. "Just do it fast. Okay? Okay! On three. One… two… three!"She pulled the glass from her palm and threw it in the sink. "Oh damn! Holy hell!" DG lay over the sink, swearing as blood rolled down her skin and into the drain. When she ran out of swear words (which took a surprisingly long time), she just glared at the glass for a little while. Blinking back tears, DG finally stood up.

It was then she noticed the shadow in the mirror. The one shaped like Wyatt Cain, dressed like Wyatt Cain, even glaring at her like Wyatt Cain. DG closed her eyes, begging whatever higher power there might be that it was the blood loss making her hallucinate. But, when her eyes opened again, the figure in the mirror was still there, though standing much closer than it had been before.

She turned to face him, prepared for him to yell and scold. But Cain wasn't looking at her face. His eyes had dropped down to her wounded hand. Without saying a word, he pushed past her and opened the First-aid box. Taking out a can of disinfecting spray, he used it on a square of tissue. He grabbed her hand and pressed the cloth to her cut. It stung badly but DG bit her lip to stop from making a noise. Cain didn't say a word as he held the tissue in place while pulling out an ace bandage at the same time. Though she was tempted to point out that he was making a fuss over nothing, she kept her mouth firmly shut. But, when Cain wrapped the bandage around her hand and pulled it just a little too tightly, DG did let out an involuntary whimper.

Instantly, his touch turned gentle. Cain's fingers brushed her skin as he continued to wrap the bandage. She watched him, trying to get a feel for his emotions, but his hat hid his eyes from her. Finally, Cain secured the bandage with a clip. This time, it was tight but not enough to hurt; he had been more careful. "Thanks," DG whispered and pulled her hand from his grasp.

At least, she tried. But Cain wrapped his hands around her wrist, refusing to let her go, and DG's pulse doubled. She knew he would never hurt but he could, and would, take her to the last place she wanted be. DG tried to draw back again and this time Cain stepped into her pull, pressing his body against hers and tapping her between the sink and himself. Her breath caught in her throat and she barely manged to stutter out, "C-Cain."

"Why did you go?" he asked.

"Please, Cain," she begged. "Don't do this, not now."

"Why did you leave?" Cain sounded like he was desperate for answers. His hands tightened around her wrist.

"I can't, Cain." She didn't want to tell him the truth. Being held out to the lords of the O.Z. as a prize of power, it made her feel like a tool. She didn't want his pity; she just wanted to be long gone from here.

"Tell me." It was a command and his voice made her shiver.

"No!"

"DG?"

Cain and DG looked up to see Carter watching them. He took in the scene and his eyes narrowed. "DG, is there a problem here?"

"No," DG said as she pressed her hands against Cain's chest (trying very hard to ignore the feel of his muscles beneath her fingers) and pushed his away. "Everything's fine. Right, Cain?"

He finally raised his eyes to meet hers and she could see his promise that their conversation was not done. Cain nodded and stepped out of the bathroom. He walked around Carter and out of the diner. Carter watched him go before he asked, "Do you want me to get Officer Gulch after him?"

"No, Carter," DG said as she pressed her hands to her temple. Her head was pounding; she desperately needed an Advil pill or two or dozen. "No need to sound an alarm."

He checked his watch. "It seems that this has been a stressful day for you so I'm gonna let you out early. Why don't you go home; get some rest? Be here on time for opening tomorrow."

"I'll be here early," DG promised.

Carter smiled. "Yeah, that will happen when monkeys fly."

Snorting out a laugh, DG waved off the odd look her boss gave her. "Don't worry, I'll be here. Thanks for understanding, Carter."

He laid his hand on her shoulder and gave it a squeeze. "Take it easy, kid," he said as he walked off.

'_Kid… Cain.' _Her everlasting problem. DG thought over her options as she changed out of her uniform but they weren't very hopeful. Option one: go home and face Cain. Option two: hop on her bike and drive away with the Tin Man following her where ever she went. Since she really didn't enjoy the idea of a stalker, home was the only real choice.

She slid the First-aid box back into its hiding place and threw out the shard of glass. As she grabbed her helmet, a whistle from the front floor drew her attention. Karma waved and mouthed, 'Feel better'. DG winked at her friend and strode out the door, dreading to face the wrath of Wyatt Cain.

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AN:

Second chapter! I hope you all liked it! I'm fairly pleased with how it came out. Do you agree?

I know a month seems like a long time but that's usually how long it takes me to update, sadly. I'm very very slow. I'll try to write as fast as possible but it all depends on ideas, inspiration, and the time I have to write, all of which can be very difficult for me to obtain. I'm going to try to make updates happen sooner by working on chapters of this story and Tin Man one shots at the same time. I have two one shots about half way done and another one or two in my head. Those will probably come out before the next chapter, sorry!

**Big important question!** I'm thinking about giving DG a tattoo and having her forcing Cain to get one. If this idea plays out in the story, what tattoos do you think would be good for them? Please tell me through reviews or messages, I welcome any ideas!

As always, reviews are loved and flames are ignored. Ideas are always welcomed as well! Thanks for reading!


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